This invention relates to powered vehicles, and more particularly to a vehicle incorporating apparatus permitting conversion from street use to snow use.
Fairly recently there has been a rapid increase in the popularity of recreation vehicles, such as dune buggies, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. A typical dune buggy type vehicle includes a tubular frame, a fiberglass body, an air cooled, rear mounted engine and drive train employing a differential and transaxle. The rear mounted engine is typically of the type manufactured by Volkswagen. These vehicles are primarily designed for street use, but may be adapted for off-road use by employing large, balloon-type tires. Other recreational vehicles are primarily of the all-terrain type not suitable for general street use. These vehicles typically employ over-sized tires and four-wheel drive arrangements. None of these types of recreational vehicles are readily usable to traverse rough, heavily snow-covered terrain.
Most available snowmobiles employ a pair of forward mounted, turnable skis, and a single, elongated endless track and bogie wheel suspension system. These snowmobiles typically employ small sized engines and are strictly limited to snow use. Further, conventional snowmobiles are open to the elements and generally carry only one or two passengers.
Various proposals have been made to provide apparatus for converting conventional vehicles or recreational vehicles for snow use. One example may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,976.153, entitled VEHICLE WITH REMOVABLE TRACTION APPARATUS, and issued on Aug. 24, 1976 to Michael J. Lateur. This patent discloses a pair of spaced, endless flexible tracks and a mounting structure to secure the tracks rigidly to a vehicle so that the tracks may be driven from the drive axle of the vehicle. The endless tracks are driven from the rear by a direct coupling between the rear axles of the vehicle. The endless track assemblies are interconnected by a rigid cross member. No provision is made for converting the conventional steering assembly to one more readily adapted for snow use.
Other examples of such prior attempts may be found in U.S. Pat. No 3,933,214, entitled ALL TERRAIN PLEASURE VECHICLE, and issured on Jan. 20, 1976 to Gurbord et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,580, entitled CONVERTIBLE TRACK SYSTEM FOR WHEELED VEHICLE, and issued on April 3, 1973 to Adams; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,886, entitled MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING WHEELED VEHICLE INTO TRACK VEHICLE and issued on Jan. 16, 1973 to Wagner. The prior systems have generally been relatively complex in nature and have not permitted a fast conversion from street use to total snow use. Further, the prior systems have not taken complete advantage of proper weight distribution to increase the traction obtainable from an endless track drive arrangement.